Put People First!

The Council is working with a broad coalition of human service providers to implore the Governor and Legislature to put People First! when considering any 9C cuts to the state budget. This campaign will continue through the FY 2011 budget deliberations. The People First! campaign will have many messages, but one banner to reflect the solidarity of our mission driven work. You will be hearing more about this campaign in the days to come.

We are now creating an album for People First! Check out the fact sheet and album sample.

For more information on our public policy efforts and this initiative, or to learn about other ways to get involved, please contact Michael Ripple.

Urge Governor Patrick to Save Programs that Strengthen our Communities

Clients, consumers, caregivers, and our communities are taking action on October 20th to call on Governor Deval Patrick and the legislature to put people first and find alternatives to cutting vital programs that support the most vulnerable in our communities.

Human services and the residents of the Commonwealth that we serve have shouldered the burden of this year’s budget cuts, with countless individuals losing services they depend on and countless caregivers losing jobs. And now, the Commonwealth faces another budget shortfall and the likelihood of further cuts.

Here's how:

Make three phone calls to Governor (617.725.4005), and your state senator & representative
Send one e-mail to the governor
Tweet @MassGovernor
Write on his Facebook Fan Page
Join the People First! Campaign on Facebook
Follow the People First! Campaign on Twitter

These steps only take a few minutes and will help ensure that no other resident of Massachusetts loses their services.

Be sure to mention:

Too often, the state has cut services to the most vulnerable individuals among us. The Commonwealth’s obligation is to protect this population, not cut services to them.
Government must find a solution to its budget problems and it cannot always be to balance the budget on the backs of the people for whom it should be doing the most. It is unfair to ask our sector to give and give a disproportionately high amount every single time.
It is up to our leaders in government, who we have elected to run the state and provide care for the most vulnerable, to think of all solutions and come up with one that does not sacrifice the quality of care we count on.

Some other things you can talk about:

Tell your story or the story of a person you serve and then to ask the Governor or legislator to ensure the budget does not continue to be balanced on the backs of the least fortunate among us.
Start your message with "Good day. I’m part of the People First Campaign, and I’m calling today to tell you a story about..."
- Providers: “...a person who I serve.”
- Board Members: “...about a person in an agency of which I’m on the board”
- Clients/consumers: “...services which makes a difference for me.”
Talk about yourself of someone you know (anonymously) and share that story. What services do you receive, provide, or value?
What's the impact of that program? How does it improve daily life?
If you're a caregiver, tell them how many staff work at your organization, the number of people you serve and how this allows their loved ones to stay productive at their jobs (whether it be day habilitation services, child care or elderly parents who are taken care of).

You can use this press release template to raise awareness of this campaign in your community. If you are an employee, client, or concerned citizen, contact Bill Yelenak for help submitting a letter to the editor or op-ed to your local paper.

You can also share these talking points with your clients, staff, colleagues, and friends and get them involved.

To download the documents to your computer, click here to download the Press release template and the Talking points.

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